Engine crankcase scavenging apparatus



Feb. 12, 1952 M. w. PHILLIPS ENGINE CRANKCASE SCAVENGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1950 FIG. .1.

INVENTOR Ames/MLL m PHILLIPS,

ATTORNEYS Feb. 12, 1952 w, ps 2,585,495

ENGINE CRANKCASE SCAVENGING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MflPJ/IWZL 14/. PH/LL/PS,

Feb. 12, 1952 M. w. PHILLIPS ENGINE CRANKCASE SCAVENGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 13, 1950 INVENTOR W H/L L lPS.

MA 193 M41 L fifimazqflmwz r Kid/am ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 12, 1952 ENGINE CRANKCASE SCAVENGING APPARATUS 7 Marshall W. Phillips, Lima, Ohio Application January 13, 1950, Serial No. 138,403

9 Claims.

This invention relates to engine crankcase scavenging apparatus and more particularly to vacuum scavenging apparatus for removing water vapor, fuel vapor and other lubricating oil contaminating and metal corrosive substances from the engine crankcase and the engine lubricating oil.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide improved engine crankcase scavenging apparatus which is actuated by the flow of engine exhaust gases to maintain the air pressure in an engine crankcase below atmospheric pressure during engine operation to expedite and facilitate the evaporation of water and fuel condensate in the crankcase and withdraw the vapor from the crankcase and to retard or preclude the condensation of water and fuel vapors entering the crankcase during normal operation of the engine and constantly withdraw such vapors together with combustion products, lubricating oil conversion'products and any other lubricating oil contaminating substances or metal corrosive substances of a gaseous or evaporative nature from the engine crankcase during engine operation, which is eiiective to separate lubricating oil mist and spray from the substances withdrawn and maintain the lubricating oil in the crankcase against loss through the scavenging system, which may be automatically operated to close off the scavengin outlet from the crankcase when the engine is not in operation to thereby restrain the flow of air into the crankcase and avoid condensation of atmospheric moisture in the engine when the latter is in a cold condition, may further operate to also substantially preclude entry of atmospheric air into the crankcase until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature to thereby maintain a subatmospheric pressure in the crankcase during the starting and warming up period of the engine to thereby facilitate the evaporation and removal of any moisture which may have condensed in the cold engine and any unvaporized or unburnt fuel which may enter the crankcase during the starting and warming up period of the engine, and to admit a measured quantity of air to'the crankcase after the engine temperature reaches the normal operatin range to facilitate the removal from the crankcase of oil contaminating and corrosive substances including the sulphur and bromine bearing products of fuel combustion which may leak into the crankcase past the engine pistons and exhaust valves, and may operate to artificially desiccate the air admitted to the crankcase, and which may be applied to substantially all types of reciprocating, internal combustion engines including L-head and valve in head engines either liquid or air cooled and having four cycle or two cycle operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic transverse cross section of an integral combustion engine showing engine crankcase scavenging apparatus illustrative of the invention operatively applied to the engine;

Figure 2 is a medial cross section of a portion of the crankcase scavenging opparatus showing structural details thereof;

Figure 3 is a medial cross section of the portion of the crankcase scavengin apparatus not illustrated in Figure 2 and showing additional structural details of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

' Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6--6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the oil separating tube illustrated in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a conduit which may be used in the apparatus to replace certain automatic valve components of the apparatus.

With' continued reference to the drawings, there is illustrated for the purpose of disclosing the invention an L-head, four cycle internal combustion engine such as is commonly employed for the propulsion of motor vehicles although, as explained above, the scavenging apparatus is not limited in its application to any particular type of reciprocating, internal combustion engine.

The engine illustrated has a crankcase l0 upon which ismounted a cylinder block Ill within which-is provided a'plurality of cylinders l2 disposed in alignment-longitudinally of the engine. A crankshaft I3 is journaled in suitable main bearings l4 mounted inthe-crankcase and 'a piston i5 is reciprocable in each cylinder [2. A connecting rod It connects each piston [5 to a corresponding crank of the crankshaft I3 and the crankshaft is connected at one end to a flywheel enclosed in the flywheel housing ll.

The cylinder block H is extended at one side of the row of cylinders to provide a valve housing I! and a plurality of tubular valve guides are mounted in this housing, an exhaust valve guide being illustrated in Figure l and indicated at I8. Intake and exhaust ports, such as the exhaust port 19, lead through the upper part of the valve housing i! into the combustion chambers provided at the upper end of the cylinder block and a valve is slidably mounted in each valve guide, the exhaust valve being mounted in the guide [8 and cooperating with a valve seat at the end of exhaust port !9 at the top end of the cylinder block. The valves are operated by a cam shaft 21 crankshaft i3 and driven by suitable timing gears, not illustrated, and by valve tappets 22 slidably mounted in tappet guides 23 and hearing at their lower ends on the cams of the cam shaft 2| and at their upper ends against the bottom ends of the stems of the intake and exhaust valves of the engine. Each intake and exhaust valve is resiliently'urged to its seating position by a compression spring 24. A cylinder head 25 is mounted on the upper end of the cylinder block and secured to the block by the usual cylinder head hold down bolts and the cylinder head is formed to provide a combustion chamber 26 for each engine cylinder. Spark plugs 21 are mounted in the cylinder head for extension through the head into the combustion chambers r and the cylinder head is made hollow to provide a water space 28 which surrounds the spark plugs and the combustion chambers for removal of heat from the cylinder head by the cooling fluid of the engine. water jackets 29 and 30 for engine cooling fluids and these jackets are connected with the interior of the hollow cylinder head so that one body of cooling fluid passes through the cylinder head and the Water jackets to remove excess heat from the engine.

An exhaust manifold 31 is connected to all of the exhaust ports of the engine and has an end provided with an external flange 32 to which the exhaust pipe 33 is usually connected by an external flange 34 on the corresponding end of the exhaust pipe. An intake manifold 35 is connected to all of the intake ports of the engine and is provided with a carburetor attachment flange 36 to which the engine carburator- 31 is attached by the flange 38 on the bottom end of the carburetor.

An oil pan 39 is attached to the lower side of the crankcase l0 and extends below the crankcase and the crankcase is provided with a tubular boss 46 through which a dip rod 4! extends into the oil pan to measure the depth of engine lubricating oil in the oil pan. In its upper side the crankcase is provided with an opening 42 and an oil filler tube 43 is secured at its lower end in the opening 42 and extends upwardly from the crankcase to provide a tubular conduit through which lubricating oil may be poured into the crankcase and oil pan of the engine. Ordinarily the upper end of the oil filler tube or spout 43 is closed by an air pervious cap so that air may pass through this filler spout into and out of the engine crankcase to provide the necessary breathing of the crankcase.

An inspection and adjustment opening 44 is provided in the outer side of the valve housing l1 along the valve tappet guides 23 to give access to the valve mechanism for inspection, adjusting and removing the valves. An inspection plate 45. closes the inspection opening 44 and is de-- The cylinder block is provided with :1

journaled in the crankcase adjacent the s tachably secured to the engine cylinder block by suitable means such as the screws 46.

Since the engine may be of any desired or well known construction, this brief description of the principal engine components is believed sufficient for the purposes of the present disclosure. It is to be noted that when the engine is operating the interior of the intake manifold 35 is usually subjected to su-batmospheric pressure which may rise substantially to atmospheric pressure when the engine throttle valve is fully opened and the speed of the engine is retarded by the load imposed on the engine and that the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe are subject at all times of engine operation to the rapid flow of exhaust gases therethrough. It is further to be understood that in starting such an engine the fuel air mixture supplied to the engine may be enriched by closing or partly closing the choke valve to restrict the flow of air to the engine and that some portion of the excess fuel supplied to a cold engine for starting purposes is frequently not vaporized or burned by the engine and some of this fuel leaks into the engine crankcase past the engine pistons and the engine exhaust valve stems where the valve stems are slidably mounted in the valve guides, this leakage being facilitated by the clearances incident to the cold condition of the engine parts.

It is also well known that atmospheric air contains an appreciable amount of moisture or water vapor and that some of this Vapor has a tendency to condense on objects contacted by the air when the air is chilled to the dew point or saturation point. It is also well known that internal combustion engine fuels, and particu-. larly the detonating retarding fuels for gasoline engines, contain appreciable amounts of sulphur and bromide compounds and that these substances, particularly when dissolved in water to produce acid, have a highly corrosive action on metal parts and that condensed moisture, condensed fuel and the acid products of'combustion have a deteriorating effect on engine lubricating 3 oil, causing the oil to sludge and to lose a large portion of its lubricating effectiveness.

The evaporation or vaporization of evaporative substances, such as water and liquid engine fuel, is known to be greatly enhanced by increasing the temperature of the substance and by reducing the pressure of the ambient atmosphere into which the substance evaporates. It is, therefore, conceived that such substances may be expeditiously removed from the interior of an engine crankcase by utilizing the exhaust gases of the engine to reduce the pressure in the crankcase below atmospheric pressure to cause rapid evaporation of the substances and to remove the vapors from the crankcase as the substances are evaporated.

In accordanfe with the present invention there is provided a special exhaust pipe section, generally indicated at 41, an oil separator tube, generally indicated at 48, mountable within an engine crankcase, and conduit means connecting the separator tube to the exhaust pipe section so that the exhaust gases passing through the exhaust pipe section will apply a suction to the oil separator tube.

The special exhaust pipe section 4'! comprises a hollow, cylindrical body 50- having at one end an apertured external flange 51 which matches the flange 32 on the end of the exhaust manifold 3| and having at its opposite end an external flange 52 which matches the flange 34 on the respectively opposite ends.

e co 61 y be placed against t outer bustion and other oil contaminating or metal cor- 'end of the exhaust pipe 33. The flanges 32, 34, and 52 are suitably apertured and the flanges 32 and 5| are secured together by suitable means such as stud bolts 53, while the flanges 52 and 34 are secured together by similar stud bolts 54, A Venturi sleeve 55 is secured in the cylindrical body 56 intermediate the length of the latter and has a throat 56 near its end adjacent the flange 5|. The Venturi structure in the section 4'! is compounded by an auxiliary Venturi sleeve 51 circumspacially disposed in the throat 56 of the sleeve 55 and provided with an annular passage 58 opening to the interior of th sleeve 57 at the throat of the latter. The sleeve 51 is supported in the body 50 by a tube stem 59 which extends through the wall of the cylindrical body 50 and is secured at its end within the body to the sleeve 51 and communicates interiorly with the passage 58. A flange 6% is provided on the tube stem 59 at the end of the latter outside of the cylindrical body 50.

The oil separator tube 48 is particularly illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 and comprises an elongated tube 6! having a length somewhat less than the length of the engine crankcase and formed of a heat and oil resistant material, such as a reinforced synthetic resin plastic. The opposite ends of the tube 6| are covered by perforated caps 62 and 63 which may comprise flanged rings threaded onto the ends of the tube and discs of fine wire mesh held in position over the ends of the tubes by the corresponding flanged rings. An opening is provided in the tube intermediate its length and a tube or boss 34 surrounds this opening on the outer side of the tube and has an annular flange 65 on its end remote from the tube 6|. The tube 61 is substantially filled with a body of elongated metal cuttings, of a nonferrous, corrosion resisting metal, so that any oil mist or droplets drawn into the tube will contact the metal cuttings and be deposited thereon. As the oil condenses on the metal cuttings it will flow to the bottom of the tube 6! and out of the tube through the perforated caps at the ends of the tube and back into the engine crankcase.

As particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the flange 65 is placed against the inner side of the inspection plate 45 and the inspection plate 45 is provided with an opening or aperture 66 which registers with the hollow interior of the boss 64.

In Figure 10 there is illustrated an offset conduit 61 having annular flanges 68 and 63 at its side of the inspection plate 45 in position such that the interior of the conduit registers with the opening 66 in the inspection plate and suitable screws or bolts it may be extended through the flange 65 on the separator tube 48, the flange of the conduit 6'! adjacent the inspection plate and through the inspection plate to secure the separator tube and the conduit 61 to the inspection One of the flanges of plate with the interior of the conduit in communication with the interior of the oil separating ing of the-disc 12 and two spaced apart, substantially parallel screens 14 and 15 of fine wire mesh are peripherally secured to the ring 13 and extend transversely thereacross. The screens 14 and i5 constitute a flash back preventer so that the exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe section 41 cannot ignite the vapors in the conduit 61, the oil separator tube 48 or the engine crankcase.

With the above described arrangement, when the engine is in operation and exhaust gases are flowing through the exhaust manifold, the pipe section 41 and the exhaust pipe, these exhaust gases will" impose a suction on the passage or channel 58 and this suction will reduce the pressure in the engine crankcase l0 and draw vapors and fumes out of the crankcase and discharge them into the exhaust gases flowing from the exhaust manifold through the exhaust pipe.

The disc 72 is provided with angularly spaced apart apertures and the flange 60 and the corresponding flange 68 or 69 is similarly apertured and the insulator H and the two adjacent flanges are secured together by suitable bolts 76 extending through registering apertures therein.

In order to maintain a subatmospheric pressure in the engine crankcase the boss 48 receiving the dip rod or oil gauge 4| and the oil filler spout 43 must be sealed so that replacement air does not enter the crankcase through these devices.

An air tight seal between the dip rod and the boss 49 is provided by internally tapering the boss at in a direction away from its outer end and placing a tapered plug 1! on the dip rod which plug makes an air tight seal with the tapered inner surface of the boss. In order to prevent dirt from falling into the boss and interfering with the seal between the boss and the plug, a suitable dust cap '28 is secured on the dip rod to cover the outer end of the boss when the dip rod is in its usual position, as illustrated in Figure 1.

In order to seal the oil filler spout or tube 43 the usual breather cap is removed from this tube and a suitable imperforate closure cap 19 is screw threaded or otherwise suitably secured on the 1 densed in the crankcase on the engine parts, and

any unvaporized fuel which may enter the crank case during the starting and warming up period of the engine will be evaporated and the vapor withdrawn into the exhaust pipe of the engine and discharged therefrom. Any products of comroding substances entering the crankcase will also be withdrawn from the crankcase and discharged through the engine exhaust pipe.

Since the engine, including the interior of its crankcase, is hot when stopped after a period of operation, with the above described arrangement, as the engine cools air will be drawn into the engine to make up for the contraction of the air within the engine upon cooling of the latter. If the operation of the engine is such that it is started and stopped at frequent intervals, operating long enough to heat up the air in the crankcase and being stopped long enough at each stop for this air to cool, a large amount of air will be drawn into and expelled from the engine crankcase and a large amount of condensation of atmospheric moisture in the engine crankcase will take place. This condition may also be slightly aggravated .by changes in barometric pressure of the atmosphere, variations in wind velocity and direction and other natural causes.

In order to minimize the changing of the air in the crankcase under such conditions anautomatic valve, generally indicated at 80, may be interposed between the tubular stemtfl and the oil separator tube 28, replacing the conduit Bl.

This valve, as particularly illustrated in Figure 2, comprises a hollow cylindrical body 8! having: one end open and its opposite end closed by an end wall 82. The interior of the body 8! is divided into a bore 83 extending from the open end of the body to a position intermediate the length of the latter and a bore 84 of smaller diameter than the bore 83 extending from the inner end of the bore 33 to the end wall 82, an internal annular shoulder being provided at the adjacent ends of the bores 83 and 84. A hollow boss 85 extends laterally from the body 8! intermediate the length of the latter and communicates internally with the bore 84, and a flange 85 on the outer end of this boss is disposed against the adjacent side of the heat insulator ii and connected to the flange ill by the screws '53. A tubular boss 8'5 extends from the body 8! at the closed end, of the latter and in a direction opposite the boss 85 and communicates through a channel 88 with the end of the bore 84 adjacent the end wall 82. This boss 8? is provided at its outer end with a flange 38 which bears against the inspection plate 45 and is secured to the flange 65 of the oil separator tube 68 by the bolts 76.

A hollow cylindrical body 55} is disposed in the bore 83 of the body 8i and has one end open and its opposite end closed by an end wall which projects marginally beyond the skirt S2 of the the end wall El with screw threads 93 which are threaded into the open end of the body 8i to secure the bodies 5% and 8! in assembled relationship. A hollow, internally screw threaded boss 94 is provided on the end wall 95 and communicates interiorily with the space within the skirt portion 92 of the body 96. A tubular conduit 95 is connected at one end to the boss 5% and is connected at its opposite end to an adjustable needle valve 86 which is tapped into the intake manifold adjacent the carburetor 3?. With this arrange? ment the intake manifold vacuum is applied to the space within the cylindrical body 36 through the end wall el and the application of the intake manifold vacuum to the interior of the body til is controlled by the adjustable needle valve 95 so that the pressure in the body 9!! does not fluctuate widely with the fluctuations in the intake manifold pressure incident to opening and closing the engine throttle and variations in the speed and load of the engine.

A hollow, annular valve body 9? is disposed in the bore S i of the body ti against the end wall 82 and is provided with a central aperture surrounded by an annular valve seat 98, and is secured in position in the body Bl by suitable means, such as the snap ring 99. A valve guide we is mounted in the body 8! between the valve body 91 and the adjacent end of the body 96 and is held in place on the shoulder at the adjacent ends of the bores 83 and 8-! by suitable means such as the snap ring till. A piston rod N32 is slidably mounted in the valve guide Hill and a piston 163 is secured to one end of the piston rod on and is slidable in the cylinder provided in the skirt portion 82 of the body 90. A valve head or disc [04 is secured on the opposite end of the piston rod and cooperates with the valve seat 98 to close off the bore 84 from the passage 88. A spring seat (65 is mounted on the end of the piston rod I02 within the skirt portion of the body 99 and a compression spring I06 is disposed between this seatand the inner side of the end wall 9| of the body Bllto resiliently urge the piston rod I02 in-a direction to seat the valve disc 34 on the valve seat 98. This spring is held in operativepositlon relative to the end wall 9! by a spring guide boss i0? which extends from the inner side of the end wall 9! into the spring.

The piston rod I02 has end portions of reduced diameter and annular shoulders at the inner ends of these reduced end portions. The piston I03 has a central opening which receives the reduced portion atone end of the piston rod and the piston is held on the rod and against the adjacent annular shoulder by a nut l in threaded onto the reduced end portion of the piston rod and the valve disc HM has a central opening receivingthe reduced portion at the opposite end of the piston rod and is secured on the rod by a nut I08 threaded onto the corresponding reduced portion of the piston rod. The piston 63 may conveniently comprise a cup washer of flexible and resilient material clamped between two flat metal washers and the valve head iii l conveniently comprises a disc of resilient or elastic material carried in a peripherally flanged metal washer.

The spring seat E05 is a peripherally flanged washer having at its center a rounded depression which receives the rounded adjacent end of the piston rod so that the valve seat washer rides on the adjacent end of the piston rod and is tiltable relative to the piston rod to accommodate its position to the flexing of the spring.

With this arrangement, when the engine is not in operation the spring 195 will seat the valve disc 64. on the valve seat Q8 and the tubular stem 59 will then be cut oil from the oil separator tube 38 so that air cannot flow through the oil separator tube and the tubular stem into or out of the engine crankcase. When the engine is placedln operation, the subatmospheric pressure in the intake manifold of the engine acting on the piston I53 will move the piston and the pitson rod 182 in a direction to unseat the valve ms and the flow of exhaust gases through the exhaust pipe section 4"; will then reduce the pressure in the crankcase and draw the vapors out of the crankcase.

In the arrangement illustrated the valve guide we may be apertured or suitable clearance may be provided between the valve guide and the piston rod to subject the side of the piston 33 opposite that acted on by the intake manifold vacuum to the pressure in the tubular stem 59 and the space connected thereto. When the air and vapor from the crankcase starts to flow through the channel 83 into the bore 84 the difierential pressure thus exerted on the valve disc 04 will asiist the intakemanifold vacuum in opening the va ve.

If the pressure differential thus existing were found insufilcient to open the valve or maintain it open during engine operation the valve guide it may be modified to close off the bore 8.4 from the bore 83. and the interior of the body 99 and suitable vents may be provided in the wall of the body ill between the valve guide and the adja: cent end of the body to subject the correspond! s, Side. f P s on "1 o a o he ic ress r While the above described arrangement is effective to prevent excessive changing of the air in the engine crankcase and accumulation of moisture under operating conditions involving frequent starting and stopping of the engine, it is highly desirable under operating conditions involving continued operation of the engine over long periods of time that some air be admitted to the crankcase to assist in sweeping the moisture and fuel vapors therefrom and to remove vapors or fumes containing such substances as sulphur and bromine, which may leak into the crankcase from the combustion of certain types of engine fuel. Such inlet air should not be admitted however until the operating temperature of the engine has reached a value at which the substances vaporize or remain in a vaporous state at substantially atmospheric pressure.

In order to provide a controlled admission of air to the engine crankcase a cut off valve, generally indicated at I I0, is connected to the crankcase through a suitable inlet, such as the oil filler spout 43, and is also connected to the interior of the engine intake manifold by a suitable conduit, and a temperature responsive valve, generally indicated at III, is connected between the two parts I I2 and I I3 of the vacuum conduit. As the cut off valve I I may be substantially identical in construction and operation to the valve 80, a detailed description of the valve I I0 is not considered necessary for the purposes of the present disclosure.

As stated above, the cut off valve I I0 is similar to the valve 80 and comprises a hollow cylindrical body II4 having one end open and its opposite end closed by an end wall H5. The interior of the body I I4 is divided into two boresI I6 and I I! of different diameters and arranged in end to end relationship with the smaller bore adjacent the end wall I I and an annular internal shoulder between the adjacent ends of the two bores. A hollow valve body I I8 is disposed in the smaller bore III against the end wall II5 and has a central opening therein surrounded by an annular valve seat I I9. A hollow boss !20 extends laterally from the end wall I I 5 and communicates with the interior of the valve body I I8 through a channel I2I and an outwardly extending annular flange I22 is provided on the outer end of this boss I20. A tubular boss I23 extends outwardly from the oil filler spout 43 and communicates with the interior of the filler spout and a flange I24 is provided on the outer end of the boss I23 and is secured to the flange I22 by suitable means, such as the screws I25 so that the interior of the valve body IIB is connected with the interior of the oil filler spout 43.

A hollow or tubular boss I26 extends laterally from the body II4 intermediate the length of the latter and communicates with the bore II? and an annular outwardly extending flange I2! is provided on the outer end of this boss.

A hollow cylindrical body I28 is received in the bore IIS of the body I I4 and has an open end disposed inwardly of the body H4 and an end wall I29 closing its opposite end which end wall extends marginally beyond the skirt portion I30 of the body I28 and overlies the open end of the body H4. The body I28 is secured to the body II4 by a screw threaded connection I3I and a hollow internally screw threaded boss I32 is formed on the outer side of the end wall I29 and communicates with the space within the skirt portion I30 of the body I28 and the conduit portion H2 is connected at one end to this 10 boss I32. A piston rod guide I33 is secured in the body II4 on the internal annular shoulder between the bores H6 and II! by a snap ring I 34 and a piston rod I35 extends slidably through this guide. A piston I36 is secured on one end of the piston rod I35 and is reciprocable in the cylinder provided by the skirt portion I30 of the body I28 and a valve head or disc I31 is secured on the opposite end of the piston rod and cooperates with the valve seat I I9 to open and close the valve. A compression spring I38 is interposed between the end of the piston rod I35 adjacent the end wall I29 and this end wall and resiliently urges the piston rod in a direction to seat the valve disc I 31 on the valve seat II3. This spring bears at one end on a spring seat washer I39 carried on the adjacent end of piston rod I35 and receives at its opposite end a spring guide boss I39 which projects inwardly from the end wall I29.

With this arrangement when the valve disc I31 engages the valve seat I I9 no air is admitted to the engine crankcase through the cut off valve III) but when the valve disc is displaced from the valve seat, air is admitted to the engine crankcase through the boss I 26, thevalve body I I8, the channel I 2| the boss I23 and the oil filler spout 43. portion I30 of the body I28 between the piston I 36 and the end wall I29 is connected by'the II3 to the intake manifold of the engine so that when the engine tubes or conduits H2 and is operating the engine intake manifold will be applied to this space to open the cut oif valve II0 if the temperature responsive valve II I is also open.

The temperature responsive valve III com-' prises an elongated hollow body I40 the interior of which is divided into two bores I4I and I42 of different diameters and arranged'in end to end relationship with an annular internal shoulder at An end portion of that their adjoining ends. part of the body I40 containing the smaller bore I42 is reduced in external diameter and externally screw threaded near its inner end and is received in an opening provided in the wall of plug I43 is threaded into this bore and is provided with a central well or recess I44. A needle valve I45 is disposed between the plug I 43' and the annular shoulder within the body I40 and has one end received in the well I44. This needle valve has a tapered valve head I46 and the internal shoulder in the body I40 cooperates with this valve head to constitute a valve seat. A"

compression spring I41 surrounds the stem of the needle valve between the head I46 and the guide plug I43 and resiliently urges the valve head into seating engagement with the valve seat to close the valve. The end ofthe smaller bore I42 opposite the larger bore MI is internally screw threaded and a cap I48 is provided with a central screw threaded boss threaded-into the end of the bore I42. This boss I49 is provided with a central well or recess and an elongated thermostatic element I50 is secured at one end in the recess in the boss of the cap I48 and extends through the bore I42 to the'adjac'ent end of the -needle'v-alve The space within the skirt The larger bore I M is screw 1.1. I45. When the: element I50: issubjected; to the temperature of the: engine cooling fluid at the normal. operating temperature of. the engine, it elongates sufiiciently to unseat the: valve head I46 and connect the borerIM withthe bore 12.

The body I40 is providedv in;,its1side wall with a tapped hole. I 51' communicating with. the. bore I42 and. the' tube or conduit. H2 .is connected to the body I40 by a. fitting I 5 2: which-isthreaded into. the hole I5I and receivestheadjacent end of the tube: I I2. The body alsoprovided with a tapped1hole I53 which communicates with the bore MI and the tube: H3 is" connected, to the. bodyby fitting I 54-which: is threaded into the hole I53v and-receives the adjacent end ofthe tube II3.

With this arrangement; when the valve head I46 is unseated. the space Within the skirt portion I30 of the body I28 between thetend wall I2 9 and the piston I343 is connected to thelinterior of the engineintakemanifoldthrough the tubes I I2 and H3 and the valve H i so that the: intake manifold vacuum is; rendered effective to open the. valve IIIl fort-theadmission of air to the interior of. the engine crankcase;

With the construction so' fardescribedthe engine crankcase will be. substantially sealed off while. the: engine is not operating, will be subjected to-a partial vacuum during" the starting andwarming up-periodioi theengine and-will be subjected to a flow of scavenging: air therethrough during operation of. the engine at'normal operating temperature. lneorder tofacilitatethe scavenging of thewengine crankcase suitable means may beprovided for artifically drying or desiccating the air admitted to the crankcase. In the illustrated arrangement thismeans comprises a desiccating cartridge and-filter assembly generally indicated at 1155.

In this arrangement. an elbow? conduit I56; has

atone endI an annular; externalifiange- I:5:1-i secured to theflangelfl by suitable means: such as? thescrew I58 and has at its. opposite: end a circular plateor base I59? disposed-substantially at right angles to the flange" I51 and provided with a central opening registering'with the interior ofthe; elbow conduit 56 and amarginal flange I60- onside thereof opposite this fitting.

A tubular core I61: has onewoperrendand itsropposite endv closed by an end wall. IzE-IJ provided with a screw threadedrecess or tappedrhole. At.

its open end this core is provided with external screw threads and is threaded into. the central opening. in the base plate I59 and projects fromthe base plate substantially" perpendiculairthere to. A desiccating. cartridge. I62qis supportedat one end on the base. plate I59: andhas an. inner cylindrical wall I63 closely surrounding thecore I61", an outer cylindricalwall- I64'received at one endrin the flange. I fillon the base plate I59 and an intermediate cylindrical wall; I65 disposed substantially midway between. the inner wall. IE3 and: the outer wall U64, the-cylindrical walls I63, I64. and IE5 being substantially" coaxial. The cartidgehas-end walls: I66 and I61 closing its opposite ends the wall l61ibeing supported. on the base plate I59 with a gasket I68 interposed between this endwall and the base plate. The end wall I66 is -provided with arr annularly arranged group of small apertures I69 disposed between the outer wall I64; and. the intermediate wall [65, the intermediate wall I65. being; provided at its. end adjacent the end wall. I 61 withaa plurality of small apertures IJIland-the: inner wall I63 is provided at'i-ts-end adjacent the end. wall I66 with a 1.2v series of small apertures 11I. The tubular core I6I; is also provided near its closed end witha series. of small apertures I12 which are substantially in registry with the apertures MI in theinner wall I63 of the cartridge.

With this arrangement. air flowing into the cartridge through the apertures I69. flows betweenv the. outer wall I6 3 and the intermediate wall I65 from the end wall I88 toward the end wall I61 and thence through the. apertures I16 into the space-between the intermediate wall I65 and the: inner wall I63. It then flows throughthis space: from the end wall I61 towardthe. end wall I66 and through the apertures Ill and I12 into thecore IEI and through the core to the elbowfitting I56. The spaces within the cartridge; between the inner and the intermediate and the intermediate and the outer wall are filled. with a suitable drying or desiccating material, such as silica gelcrystals so that most of the entrained moisture is extracted from the. air during its tortuous passage through the desiccating cartridge;

A cap I13 is disposed'on the end wall I66 of the cartridge and separated therefrom= by a gasket 114-. This capis provided in its end adjacent thecartridge with a circular recess-which receives the corresponding end of the cartridge. and has a central portion HS-recessed to receive the closed end of the core I62 and provided with an aperture which registers with the tapped hole. in the closed end of the core. A screw I16: extending through the aperture in the cap portion I15 and threaded. into the tapped hole in the closed end of the core secures the cap I13 onto the'adjacent end of the cartridge and also secures the cap and the'cartridge onto thebase plate I59 through the intermediacy of the .tubular core I6I.

The cap I13 is provided with a bore I11 opening to its end opposite the end adjacent the cartridge Hit and terminating at the central portion I15 of the cap. Passages I18 extend from the inner endof this bore I 11 to the end of thecap-adjacent the cartridge and have their ends in registry with the apertures I69 in the end wall '66 of the cartridge. A counterbore is provided in the outer endvof the bore 11 and terminates at its innerend in an internal shoulder I19 and a; valve guidedisc I89 is held on this shoulder by a snap ring I8I A valve has an elongated stem I82 extending slidably through the valve guide disc and a head I83 secured to one end of the stem and opposed to the side of the disc adjacent the'inner end of the bore I11. An adjusting nut I84 is threaded onto theend of the stem I82 opposite the head I83 anda compression. spring I85 surrounds the stem between the valve guide disc I andthe nut 84 to resiliently urge the valve head I83 into closing relationship with the apertured valve guide disc I80. This valve will prevent air from entering the. desiccator cartridge I 64 until the pressure in the elbow fitting I56 has been reduced below atmospheric pressure an amount suflicient to overcome the force of spring I and open the valve. Air will thus not pass into the desiccator cartridge except when the engine is operating at or. above its-normal. operating temperature.

An air filter I86 is mounted on the cap I13 and comprises a hollow cylindrical body I81 having an open end and at its opposite end a perforated end wall I 88. This cylindrical body I8! is slidably received at its open end in the counterbore in the outer end of the bore I11 of the cap and a hollowfilter body I 89 receives the opposite endof. thecylindrical body I81. The filter body has an imperforate top wall I99, an annular imperforate side wall I9I to the upper end of which the top wall I90 is marginally joined, and a bottom wall I92 marginally joined to the bottom edge of the side wall and provided with a central aperture receiving the cylindrical body I81. This bottom wall has an annularly arranged group of small apertures I93 therein surrounding the body I81. A boss I94 extends downwardly from the bottom wall I92 surrounding the central aperture therein and the body I81 is secured in this boss by suitable means such as by being welded therein. At its outer end the boss I94 is provided with an annular offset E95 which receives the top end of the cap I19 surrounding the open end of the bore I11. The body I89 is filled with a suitable air filtering material. such as non-ferrous metal wool saturated with lubricating oil so that dust and grit will be removed frcm air passing through the filter. As the air passes upwardly through the apertures I93, over the top of the body !81 and then downwardly through the apertures in the end wall I88 of this body, water or precipitation will not enter the filter and any moisture condensing on the outer surface of the filter will drop oiT and will not be entrained by the air flowing through the filter into the cap I13 and the desiccating cartridge.

A transparent window I99 is provided in the outer wall I64 of the desiccating cartridge for observation of the crystals within the cartridge. Where silican gel crystals are used their color will ind cate their condition and advise the observer when the cartrid e reouires drying or replacement by a new cartridge.

The invention maybe embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are. therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. Vapor scavenging means for an internal combustion engine crankcase comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi sleeve therein, a venturi circumspatially positioned in the throat of said venturi sleeve and having therein an annular vapor passage surrounding the throat of said venturi and opening to the interior of the latter, a venturi supporting tube extending from said venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section and communicating internally with said passage, an elongated oil separator tube disposable in the engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting intermediate its length, conduit means connecting said outlet fitting to said venturi supporting tube, a perforated cap covering each end of said separator tube, and a body of metallic cuttings in said separator tube for Separating oil mist and droplets from air passing through said separator tube and condensing such oil for return to the engine crankcase.

2. Engine crankcase scavenging means comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi therein, a tubular stem extending from the venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section for the suction of fluid into said section by said venturi, an oil separator device disposable in an engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting for the passage of gases and vapors therefrom, conduit means extending from said outlet fitting toward said tubular stem, and a combined heat insulator and flame shield disposed between said conduit means and said tubular stem, said conduit means and said combined heat insulator and flame shield providing a fluid passage from said oil separator to said tubular stem.

3. Engine crankcase scavenging means comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi therein, a tubular stem extending from the venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section for the suction of fluid into said section by said venturi, an oil separator device disposable in an engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting for the passage of gases and vapors therefrom, conduit means extending from said outlet fitting toward said tubular stem, and a combined heat insulator and flame shield disposed between said conduit means and. said tubular stem, said conduit means and said combined heat insulator and flame shield providing a fluid passage from said oil separator to said tubular stem. said conduit means including a pressure operated cut off valve, spring closed to cut off said tubular stem from said oil separator device and opened by subatmospheric engine intake manifold pressure to pneumatically connect said tubular stem with said oil separator device during engine operation.

4. Engine crankcase scavenging means comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi therein, a tubular stem extending from the venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section for the suction of fluid into said section by said venturi, an oil separator device disposable in an engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting for the passage of gases and vapors therefrom, conduit means extending from said outlet fitting toward said tubular stem, and a combined heat insulator and flame shield disposed between said conduit means and said tubular stem, said conduit means and said combined heat insulator and flame shield providing a fluid passage from said oil separator to said tubular stem, said conduit means including a pressure operated out ofi valve, spring closed to out off said tubular stem from said oil separator device and opened by subatmospheric engine intake manifold pressure to pneumatically connect said tubular stem with said oil separator device during engine operation, a

crankcase air inlet fitting, a second out 01f valve connected to said inlet fitting and spring closed to cut off crankcase inlet air, conduit means connected to said second cutoff valve for applying subatmospheric engine intake manifold pressure to the valve to open the latter and admit crankis subjected to normal operating engine temperature.

5. Engine crankcase scavenging means comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi 1 therein, a tubular stem extending from the venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section for the suction of fluid into said section by said venturi, an oil separator device disposable in an engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting for the passage of gases and vapors therefrom, conduit means extending from said outlet fitting to-- ward said tubular stem, and a combined heat in sulator and flame shielddisposed between sai conduit means and said tubular stem, said conduit means and said combined heat insulator and flame shield providing a fluid passage from said oil separator to said tubular stem, said conduit means including a pressure operated out off valve, spring closed to out off said tubular stem from said oil separator device and opened by subatinospheric engine intake manifold pressure to pneumatically connect said tubular stem with said oil separator device during engine operation, a crankcase air inlet fitting, a second cut ofi valve connected to said inlet fitting and spring closed to cut off crankcase inlet air, conduit means connected to said second cut ofi valve for applying subatmospheric engine intake manifold pressure to the valve to open the latter and admit crankcase inlet air, and an engine temperature responsive valve connected into said last mentioned conduit means to delay opening of said second cut off valve until said temperature responsive valve is subjected to normal operating engine temperatures, said second cut oil valve having an air intake fitting thereon, and an air filtering and desiccating assemblypneumatically connected to the air inlet fitting of said second cut oif valve to filter and dry the crankcase inlet air admitted by said second cut off valve.

6. Engine crankcase scavenging means comprising an exhaust pipe section having a venturi therein, a tubular stem extending from the Venturi through the wall of said exhaust pipe section for the suction of fluid into said section by said venturi, an oil separator device disposable in an engine crankcase and having an outlet fitting for the passage of gases and vapors therefrom, conduit means extending from said outlet fitting toward said tubular stem, and a combined heat insulator and flame shield disposed between said conduit means and said tubular stem, said conduit means and said combined heat insulator and fiame shield providing a fiuid passage from said oil separator to said tubular stem, said conduit means including a pressure operated out off valve, spring closed to out 01? said tubular stem from said oil separator device and opened by subatmospheric engine intake manifold pressure to pneumatically connect said tubular stem with said oil separator device during engine operation, a crankcase air inlet fitting, and an air filtering and desiccating assembly connected to said crankcase air inlet fitting for filtering and drying crankcase inlet air.

7. A vacuum operated valve comprising a hoilow body having an open end and an end wall closing its other end and provided with a cylindrical bore. a hollow valve body disposed in said bore and against said end wall and having a central opening and an annular valve seat surrounding such opening, a fluid passage leading from the interior of said hollow valve body through said end wall, a fluid passage leading into said bore at the side of said hollow valve body opposite said end wall, a hollow cylindrical body received in said bore at the open end of said first mentioned hollow body and having an end wall overlying the open end of said first mentioned body, a piston reciprocable in said hollow cylindrical body, a piston rod guide mounted in said bore between said hollow valve body and said hollow cylindrical body, a piston rod connected at one end to said piston and extending slidably through said piston rod guide, a valve disc secured to the other end of said piston rod and cooperating with the valve seat on said hollow valve body, a hollow boss on the end wall of said hollow cylindrical body communicating with the interior of said hollow cylindrical'bo'dy and provided with internal screw threads, a tube connected at one end to said boss for connecting the space Within said hollow cylindrical body between said piston and the end wall of said hollow cylindrical body to the interior of an engine intake manifold, and a compression spring disposed between said piston and the end wall of said hollow cylindrical body for resiliently u ging said piston, said piston rod and said valve disc in a direction to seat said valve disc on the valve seat of said hollow valve body.

8. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, an exhaust pipe and an intake manifold, engine crankcase, scavenging means comprising a venturi in said exhaust pipe, a valve assembly including a valve spring biased to closed position and vacuum responsive means connected to said valve for opening the latter, conduit means connecting one side of said valve to said venturi, conduit means connecting the other side of said valve to the interior of said crankcase, and conduit means connecting said vacuum responsive means to said intake manifold for opening said valve when the engine is in operation.

9. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, an exhaust pipe, an intake manifold and a cooling system containing cooling fluid, engine crankcase scavenging means comprising a venturi in said exhaust pipe, a valve assembly including a valve spring biased to closed position and vacuum responsive means connected to said valve for opening the latter, conduit means connecting one side of said valve to said venturi, conduit'means connecting the other side of said valve to the interior of said crankcase, conduit means connecting said vacuum responsive meansto said intake manifold for opening said valve when the engine is in operation, a second valve assembly including a valve spring biased to closed position and vacuum responsive means connected to said valve for opening the latter, conduit means connecting one side of the valve of said second assembly to the interior of said crankcase, the other side of the valve of said second assembly being connected to atmosphere, conduit means connecting the vacuum responsive means of said second assembly to said intake manifold for opening the associated valve when the engine is in operation,

and means responsive to the temperature of the cooling fluid in said cooling system connected into the last mentioned conduit means for delaying opening of the valve of said second assembly until the temperature of the cooling fluid has reached a predetermined value.

MARSHALL W. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany June 12, 1923 

